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Gordon Jacob 1895 - 1984

"I think the question of communication is important, because one never wants to write down to an audience, but at the same time I personally feel repelled by the intellectual snobbery of some progressive artists... the day that melody is discarded altogether, you may as well pack up music..." — Gordon Jacob

Gordon Jacob was one of the most popular and versatile of British 20th century composers, particularly acclaimed for his works in a lighter vein. His music displays craftsmanship, virtuosity of instrumentation, and lively wit. He studied composition at the Royal College of Music (RCM) with Stanford, Parry and Howells; He then became a lecturer at the RCM for 40 years, where his own pupils included Malcolm Arnold and Imogen Holst.

His output includes valuable concertos for neglected instruments; And, through skillful arrangements, he furthered the cause of other composers including William Byrd, Vaughan Williams and Holst. He also wrote text book resources for composition teaching, including Orchestral Technique (1931) and The Composer and his Art (1960).